HALL of SHAME nomination for VirGIN ("Virginia Geographic Information Network")

[Martin Isenburg]

Hello,

Have you noticed that there is a "VirGIN" in the "HALL of SHAME" ... ? (-;

The agency was nominated to the HALL of SHAME a few months ago and I had contacted them back in March (see my email below) to offer help in providing the "locked-up open data" also in an open format. A few days ago I received a a second "renomination" for the VGIN data, prompting this message here.

"Hi Martin, I'm a big fan of LAStools. I teach a LiDAR remote sensing class and both ArcGIS and LAStools play a big role in the course. 

I love your "Hall of Fame" joke calling out the agencies that only provide zlas. Here's one, the state of Virginia, USA:

http://vgin.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=1e964be36b454a12a69a3ad0bc1473ce

The used to provide data in LAS format, but they recently switched to zLAS, unfortunately.

Keep up the great work! Your blog has been a great source of examples for my LiDAR class."

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Martin Isenburg <martin....@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Mar 4, 2018 at 1:13 PM
Subject: HALL OF SHAME for providing open data in proprietary vendor format
To: xxxxx...@vita.virginia.gov

Hello xxxxxx,

your agency has been nominated to our "HALL OF SHAME" for providing open data in proprietary vendor format. This means that every version of LAStools (*) that is currently being distributed contains a HALL_OF_SHAME.txt file whose contents are listed below.

(*) http://rapidlasso.com/LAStools

We'd be happy to discuss why we take such nominations and why many of us feel that open data and closed formats are incompatible. We would also be more than willing to assist you to (also) provide your state-wide LiDAR in an open format. 

Regards.

Martin 

================================

HALL OF SHAME

=============

1) Virginia Geographic Information Network (whose purpose, powers and duties 

are to facilitate the cost-effective development and use of spatial data, GIS,

and related technologies throughout the Virginia Commonwealth, to foster the

creative utilization of geographic information and oversee the development of

a catalog of GIS data available in the Commonwealth) is nominated for providing

state-wide LiDAR collected as part of 3DEP as "open data" solely in the closed

and proprietary vendor format with the file extension *.zlas ...

   

2) ...

The "HALL OF SHAME" is our funny-provocative and dicussion-starting way to

assure that our "open LiDAR data" is stored and distributed in our "open

LiDAR formats" to the benefits of users on any platform using any software. 

We list agencies or portals that are distributers of "locked-up LiDAR"

and promote proprietary LiDAR formats by providing raw "pseudo-open" point

clouds exclusively in closed formats such as *.sid, *.zlas, *.rar, ... 

We are taking "HALL OF SHAME" nominations ... (-;

[1] http://rapidlasso.com/2015/04/20/new-lasliberator-frees-lidar-from-closed-format/

[2] http://github.com/LASliberator

[3] http://github.com/LASliberator/lasliberate/archive/master.zip

[Martin Isenburg]

Hello,

i was just notified that the VGIN open LiDAR data is no longer available exclusively in the proprietary zLAS format but also as LAZ or zipped LAS. That seems mainly due to the fact that the hosting of the data is now being done by my special friends from USGS and my regular friends from NOAA. 

https://vgin.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Viewer/index.html?appid=1e964be36b454a12a69a3ad0bc1473ce

I will remove VGIN from the HALL of SHAME that is distributed with every copy of LAStools (unless someone can think of a convincing reason why they should stay).

Regards,

Martin